492. 12. Adulteries of the fourth degree are adulteries of the will, which are committed by people who make them allowable and pleasurable, and not of sufficient consequence to merit consulting the intellect in regard to them. Adulteries of this character are distinguished from the preceding because of their differing origins. The origin of these adulteries springs from the depraved will inherent in man, or from the hereditary evil which a person blindly succumbs to after he has become his own master, not judging of them whether they are evil or not. That is why we say he does not regard them of sufficient consequence to merit his consulting his intellect in regard to them. In contrast, the origin of the adulteries that we call adulteries of the reason spring from a corrupted intellect, and are committed by people who persuade themselves that they are not sinful evils. In such people the intellect plays the primary role; in those considered now, the will.

These two distinguishing characteristics are not apparent to anyone in the natural world, but they are clearly apparent to angels in the spiritual world. All people in that world are distinguished in general according as their evils spring originally from the will or from the intellect and are so received and adopted. They are also separated accordingly in hell. Those in hell who are evil because of their intellect dwell toward the front and are called satanic spirits, while those who are evil because of their will dwell behind and are called devils. It is because of this universal distinction that the terms satan and devil are used in the Word.

In those evil spirits - including adulterers - who are called satanic spirits, the intellect plays the primary role, whereas in those who are called devils, the will plays the primary role.

It is impossible, however, to present these distinguishing characteristics sufficiently for the understanding to see them, unless the distinctive characteristics of the will and the intellect are first made known, and unless one describes the mind's development from the will by means of the intellect, and its development from the intellect by means of the will. A concept of these has to enlighten the sight before the aforementioned distinguishing characteristics are visible to the reason; but that would take another page.